The worst debut in footballing history?

Jonathan Woodgate has had a pretty distinguished career, injuries aside, but it would be fair to say that his debut for La Liga giants Real Madrid wasn’t the best.

An own goal AND a sending off make for a pretty shambolic first appearance for your new club, but what makes poor Woodgate’s debut for Real Madrid in 2005 a real stinker is the fact that he’d been out injured for a year prior to the match with Athletic Bilbao.

Woody went on to be voted the worst signing of the 21st century by Spain’s leading sports daily, Diario Marca. A little harsh perhaps but we think he certainly deserves the accolade of worst debut…

Just in case you wondered, you can now find Jonathan Woodgate playing for his home town club Middlesbrough in the Championship.